Meet Raquel

Kanuka Yoga's Studio Owner

Raquel has been practicing yoga for nearly a decade. She recognises her consistent yoga practice as a tool to stay centered and balanced internally, as well as finding more balance in external relationships (professional and personal). She weaves in this awareness into her classes by guiding students into their own inner landscapes, while exploring the physical ground/space around.

Her teaching style is influenced by empathy and compassion and honest, clear communication with trauma-informed and invitational language. Her classes allow space to explore options which feel safe for students. She completed her 200HR yoga training in 2019 at RAW Yoga, plus 60hr Community and Trauma-Informed YTT with Rise Movement, and 20hr Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga.

Her movement training also includes a background in figure skating, gymnastics, elite-level cheerleading and acro yoga - she loves flying and has leaned into yoga as a more gentle way to feel this free flow.

She opened Kanuka Yoga Space to create a community yoga space for all types of bodies and selected an amazing group of teachers to help cultivate inner-awareness for a wide range of personalities.

In The Workplace

Raquel graduated with a degree in Psychology from George Washington University in Washington, DC in 2009. Since then, she has been working in the corporate world (primarily in sales and technology) for over a decade. S

he understands organisations’ needs to realise the full potential of their employees and is an advocate to bring yoga and mindfulness practices into the workplace, as a tool to stay balanced in a fast-paced and competitive corporate environment.

She was born in Texas with Mexican-Vietnamese heritage and has called New Zealand home since 2015. She promotes cultural diversity and inclusivity within corporate and wellness spaces.

She is a successful entrepreneur (manager and owner of Kanuka Yoga Space) and sales professional working with Groov to bring mental wellbeing programmes into the workplace. She is grateful to have an opportunity to share the benefits of yoga and meditation to create peace and community within the workplace.

"Our whole spiritual transformation brings us to the point where we realise that in our own being, we are enough" - Ram Dass

"When you walk into any room, make it your home. Then help every one in the room to

feel at home.

Remember, you are uniquely you and you have every right to be exactly that.

Do not try to fit in, you fit perfectly in you." - Guru Singh

Check out one of Raquel's classes by following the links below: